It’s election week. A fitting time to campaign for Bruce Arians and Chuck Pagano as strong candidates for the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award.

Nobody has done a more inspirational coaching job than the combination of Arians and Pagano. If you haven't seen video of Pagano’s post-game speech to the Colts on Sunday, find it and watch it. Hard not to get a lump in your throat watching Pagano, battling leukemia, address the team with such passion and courage.

Pagano isn't physically able to be with the Colts on a day-to-day basis. But he remains their emotional leader. His presence is felt throughout the organization.

It started in training camp, before Pagano was diagnosed. The Colts (5-3) weren't expected to be very good this season. They had a new coach, a new general manager and a rookie quarterback. They were coming off a 2-14 season.

But Pagano never bought the notion that the Colts couldn’t win right away. Last week, wide receiver Reggie Wayne was candid when asked if he believed the Colts could be playoff contenders when he re-signed as a free agent during the offseason.

"To be honest with you, not really," Wayne said. "But once I got to training camp and saw the guys that we had around, and saw the scheme, I felt like we had some good things in place."

Since Pagano has been away for treatment, Arians has kept the belief going as interim head coach-offensive coordinator. He has challenged the Colts to view themselves as a playoff team, and has made it clear they have a duty to carry out Pagano’s vision.

"For me, it’s to make sure we make the playoffs because he’s got a great chance to be back at the end of December," Arians said. "We need to make sure we extend this season so he can be back on the sidelines with us, healthy. That’s our goal."

Arians’ influence on rookie quarterback Andrew Luck also has been key. Working with Ben Roethlisberger for years as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, Arians knows something about developing young quarterbacks. Arians sees similarities between Roethlisberger and Luck.

"It’s hard to describe how different they are as people, but as quarterbacks, they’re a lot a like," Arians said. "They’re very accurate, they’re big, they’re strong, they’re athletic, they know what they doing they know where to go with the football."

Mike Smith has the Falcons undefeated, while Lovie Smith (Bears) and Gary Kubiak (Texans) have their teams rolling. But if the Colts make the playoffs, send the Coach of the Year trophy to Indianapolis, and let two very deserving coaches share it.